U.S. patent number 5,898,004 [Application Number 08/743,816] was granted by the patent office on 1999-04-27 for polymerized crystalline colloidal array sensors.
This patent grant is currently assigned to University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education. Invention is credited to Sanford A. Asher, John H. Holtz.
United States Patent |
5,898,004 |
Asher , et al. |
April 27, 1999 |
Polymerized crystalline colloidal array sensors
Abstract
Novel sensor devices composed of a crystalline colloidal array
(CCA) polymerized in a hydrogel are disclosed. The hydrogels are
characterized as being capable of shrinking and swelling in
response to specific stimuli applied thereto. As the hydrogels
shrink or swell, the lattice structure of the CCA embedded therein
changes, thereby changing the wavelength of light diffracted by the
CCA. Thus by monitoring the change in diffracted wavelength, the
concentration of a stimulus is determined. The gels can be modified
to sense numerous different stimuli. The sensor devices are
specific in that they are modified to react with only one species
or family of species. These sensors have various applications in
areas including, for example, environmental and chemical systems,
chemomechanical systems, sensor devices and medical diagnostic
tools. Various methods for making and using these devices are also
disclosed.
Inventors: |
Asher; Sanford A. (Pittsburgh,
PA), Holtz; John H. (Pittsburgh, PA) |
Assignee: |
University of Pittsburgh of the
Commonwealth System of Higher Education (Pittsburgh,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
24990309 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/743,816 |
Filed: |
November 6, 1996 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
436/518;
205/777.5; 359/886; 436/517; 359/296; 252/582; 436/532; 436/527;
356/334; 205/781.5; 205/792 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B
26/002 (20130101); G01N 21/77 (20130101); B01J
13/00 (20130101); G01N 31/222 (20130101); G01N
21/4788 (20130101); G01J 3/18 (20130101); G01N
2021/7723 (20130101); G01N 2021/772 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B01J
13/00 (20060101); G01J 3/12 (20060101); G01N
31/22 (20060101); G01J 3/18 (20060101); G02B
26/00 (20060101); G01N 21/47 (20060101); G01N
21/77 (20060101); G01N 033/544 (); G01N 033/551 ();
G02B 005/24 (); G01J 003/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;252/582,588,315.1,583
;524/916,458 ;424/487 ;356/334 ;436/518,517,527,532 ;359/296,886
;205/777.5,781.5,792 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Sheppard, Jr. et al., "Design of A Conductimetric Microsensor Based
on Resibly Swelling Polymer Hydrogels", IEEE, pp. 773-776 (1991).
.
McCurley, "An optical biosensor using a fluorescent, swelling
sensing element", Biosensors & Bioelectronics, vol. 9, pp.
527-533 (1994). .
Schalkhammer et al., "The use of metal-island-coated pH-sensitive
swelling polymers for biosensor applications", Sensors and
Actuators, vol. 24-25, pp. 166-172 (1995). .
Sheppard et al., "Microfabricated conductimetric pH Sensor",
Sensors and Actuators, vol. 28, pp. 95-102 (1995). .
Kikuchi et al., "Glucose-Sensing Electrode Coated with Polymer
Complex Gel Containing Phenylboronic Acid", Anal. Chem., vol. 68,
pp. 823-828 (1996)..
|
Primary Examiner: McKane; Joseph K.
Assistant Examiner: Baxam; Deanna
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Meyers; Diane R. Silverman; Arnold
B. Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC
Government Interests
This work was supported by Office of Naval Research Grant No.
N00014-94-1-0592; the government has certain rights in this
invention.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A sensor device comprising:
a hydrogel that undergoes a volume change in response to a specific
chemical stimulus; and
a light diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged
particles polymerized in said hydrogel;
said crystalline colloidal array having a lattice spacing that
changes when said volume of said hydrogel changes, thereby causing
the diffracted wavelength of the crystalline colloidal array to
change.
2. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said hydrogel is comprised
of a first comonomer that is a gel monomer, a crosslinking agent
and a second comonomer that is a molecular recognition monomer.
3. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein said device detects a
particular chemical stimulus by using as the second comonomer a
monomer capable of recognizing the chemical species to be
detected.
4. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein said hydrogel is
hydrophilic.
5. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein said gel monomer is
ion-free.
6. The sensor device of claim 5, wherein said gel monomer is
selected from the group consisting of acrylamide gels, purified
agarose gels, N-vinylpyrolidone gels, and methacrylate gels.
7. The sensor device of claim 6, wherein said gel monomer is
N-isopropylacrylamide.
8. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said volume change is
between about 0.1 and 50%.
9. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said molecular recognition
monomer is selected from the group consisting of crown ethers,
cyclodextrans and caloxarenes.
10. The sensor device of claim 9, wherein said monomer capable of
molecular recognition is 4-acrylamidobenzo 18-crown-6 ether.
11. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said crosslinking agent
is selected from the group consisting of
N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, methylenebismethacrylamide and
ethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate.
12. The sensor device of claim 11, wherein said crosslinking agent
is N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide.
13. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said charged particles
are selected from the group consisting of colloidal polystyrene,
polymethylmethacrylate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide,
polytetrafluoroethylene and poly N-isopropylacrylamide.
14. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said chemical stimulus is
selected from the group consisting of lead ions, potassium ions and
sodium ions.
15. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein said hydrogel further
comprises a third monomer.
16. The sensor device of claim 15, wherein said third monomer is an
acrylamide or a substituted acrylamide.
17. The sensor device of claim 1, wherein said hydrogel is
comprised of a crosslinking agent, a gel monomer, and a
biomolecular recognition component.
18. The sensor device of claim 17, wherein said biomolecular
recognition component is selected from the group consisting of
enzymes, antigens, nucleic acids, nucleic acid sequences, amino
acids, amino acid sequences, peptides and antibodies.
19. The sensor device of claim 17, further comprising one or more
linking molecules that link said biomolecular recognition component
to said gel monomer.
20. The sensor device of claim 19, wherein said linking molecule is
5-(biotinamido)pentylamine.
21. The sensor device of claim 19, wherein said biomolecular
recognition component has been reacted with a linking molecule that
can be bound to a second linking molecule or to the gel.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein avidin is the linking molecule
that can be bound to a second linking agent or to the gel.
23. A method of making a sensor device comprising:
a) allowing charged colloidal particles to self-assemble into a
crystalline colloidal array;
b) adding a first comonomer that is a gel monomer, a crosslinking
agent, a second comonomer capable of molecular recognition and a
polymerization initiator to a medium comprising said crystalline
colloidal array; and
c) polymerizing the mixture of step b) to form a crystalline
colloidal array embedded in a hydrogel, wherein said hydrogel
undergoes a volume change in response to a chemical species.
24. The method of claim 23, including employing the device to
detect a particular chemical stimulus by using as the second
comonomer a monomer capable of recognizing the chemical stimulus to
be detected.
25. The method of claim 24, including employing a UV photoinitiator
and wherein said polymerization step is effected by exposing the
mixture of step b) to UV light.
26. The method of claim 23, including employing a hydrogel that is
hydrophilic.
27. The method of claim 23, including employing a gel monomer that
is an ion-free gel.
28. The method of claim 27, including employing a gel monomer
selected from the group consisting of acrylamide gels, purified
agarose gels, N-vinylpyrolidone gels, and methacrylate gels.
29. The method of claim 28, including employing as said gel monomer
N-isopropylacrylamide.
30. The method of claim 23, including employing a molecular
recognition monomer selected from the group consisting of crown
ethers, cyclodextrans, and caloxarenes.
31. The method of claim 30, including employing a 4-acrylamidobenzo
18-crown-6 ether.
32. The method of claim 23, including employing a crosslinking
agent selected from the group consisting of
N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, methylenebismethacrylamide and
ethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate.
33. The method of claim 32, including employing as said
crosslinking agent N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide.
34. The method of claim 23, including employing charged particles
selected from the group consisting of colloidal polystyrene,
polymethylmethacrylate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide,
polytetrafluoroethylene and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) as said
charged colloidal particles.
35. The method of claim 23, including employing in said hydrogel a
third monomer.
36. The method of claim 35, including employing as said third
monomer an acrylamide or a substituted acrylamide.
37. A method of making a sensor device comprising:
a) allowing charged colloidal particles to self assemble into a
crystalline colloidal array;
b) adding a gel monomer, a crosslinking agent and a polymerization
initiator to a medium comprising said crystalline colloidal
array;
c) polymerizing the mixture of step b) to form a crystalline
colloidal array embedded in a hydrogel; and
d) adding a biomolecular recognition component to the product of
step c), wherein said hydrogel undergoes a volume change in
response to a chemical species.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein said biomolecular recognition
component is added to the product of step c) by use of one or more
linking molecules.
39. The method of claim 38, wherein said biomolecular recognition
component is reacted with a linking molecule that can be bound to
either a second linking molecule or to the gel.
40. The method of claim 37, including the step of hydrolyzing the
polymerized crystalline colloidal array of step c) before adding a
biomolecular recognition component.
41. The method of claim 37, including employing a UV photoinitiator
and wherein said polymerization step is effected by exposing the
mixture of step b) to UV light.
42. The method of claim 37, including employing a gel monomer
selected from the group consisting of acrylamide gels, purified
agarose gels, N-vinylpyrolidone gels, and methacrylate gels.
43. The method of claim 42, including employing as said gel monomer
N-isopropylacrylamide.
44. The method of claim 37, including employing a biomolecular
recognition component selected from the group consisting of
enzymes, antigens, nucleic acids, nucleic acid sequences, amino
acids, amino acid sequences, peptides and antibodies.
45. The method of claim 37, including employing a crosslinking
agent selected from the group consisting of
N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, methylenebismethacrylamide and
ethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate.
46. The method of claim 45, including employing as said
crosslinking agent N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide.
47. The method of claim 27, including employing charged particles
selected from the group consisting of colloidal polystyrene,
polymethylmethacrylate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide,
polytetrafluoroethylene and poly N-isopropylacrylamide as said
charged colloidal particles.
48. The method of claim 38, including employing as said linking
molecule 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine.
49. The method of claim 39, including employing avidin as the
linking molecule that can be bound to a second linking agent or to
the gel.
50. A sensor device comprising:
a first network comprising a crystalline colloidal array of charged
particles polymerized in a hydrogel matrix; and
a second network interpenetrating with said first network
comprising a polymer to which is attached a molecular recognition
monomer, wherein said sensor device undergoes a volume change in
response to a specific chemical species, said crystalline colloidal
array having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of
said hydrogel changes, thereby causing the diffracted wavelength of
the crystalline colloidal array to change.
51. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said device detects a
particular chemical species by using a second polymer in said
second polymer network capable of recognizing the chemical species
to be detected.
52. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said charged particles
are selected from the group consisting of colloidal polystyrene,
polymethylmethacrylate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide,
polytetrafluoroethylene and poly N-isopropylacrylamide.
53. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said hydrogel is
hydrophilic.
54. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said hydrogel is
comprised of a gel monomer which is ion-free.
55. The sensor device of claim 54, wherein said gel monomer is
selected from the group consisting of acrylamide gels, purified
agarose gels, N-vinylpyrolidone gels, and methacrylate gels.
56. The sensor device of claim 55, wherein said gel monomer is
N-isopropylacrylamide.
57. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said volume changes
between 0.1 and 50%.
58. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said molecular
recognition monomer is selected from the group consisting of crown
ethers, cyclodextrans and caloxarenes.
59. The sensor device of claim 58, wherein said monomer capable of
molecular recognition is 4-acrylamidobenzo 18-crown-6 ether.
60. A method of making a sensor device comprising:
a) allowing charged particles to self assemble into a crystalline
colloidal array;
b) adding a first comonomer that is a gel monomer, a crosslinking
agent and a polymerization initiator to said crystalline colloidal
array;
c) polymerizing said mixture of step b) to form a hydrogel, such
that a first network comprising a crystalline colloidal array
polymerized in said hydrogel is formed;
d) diffusing a second comonomer having a molecular recognition
monomer into said first network; and
e) polymerizing the product of step d) to create a second network
which is interpenetrating with said first network, wherein said
sensor device undergoes a volume change in response to a specific
chemical stimulus.
61. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said device is modified
to detect different chemical stimuli by using as the second
comonomer a monomer capable of recognizing the chemical stimuli to
be detected.
62. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said hydrogel is
hydrophilic.
63. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said gel monomer is
ion-free.
64. The sensor device of claim 63, wherein said gel monomer is
selected from the group consisting of acrylamide gels, purified
agarose gels, N-vinylpyrolidone gels, and methacrylate gels.
65. The sensor device of claim 64, wherein said gel monomer is
N-isopropylacrylamide.
66. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said molecular
recognition monomer is capable of binding to a selected
analyte.
67. The sensor device of claim 66, wherein said molecular
recognition monomer is selected from the group consisting of crown
ethers, cyclodextrans and caloxarenes.
68. The sensor device of claim 67, wherein said monomer capable of
molecular recognition is 4-acrylamidobenzo 18-crown-6 ether.
69. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said crosslinking agent
is selected from the group consisting of
N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, methylenebismethacrylamide and
ethyleneglycol-dimethacrylate.
70. The sensor device of claim 68, wherein said crosslinking agent
is N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide.
71. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said charged particles
are selected from the group consisting of colloidal polystyrene,
polymethylmethacrylate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide,
polytetrafluoroethylene and poly N-isopropylacrylamide.
72. The sensor device of claim 60, wherein said hydrogel is
hydrophobic.
73. A sensor device for measuring analyte concentration in the tear
fluid comprising:
a hydrogel that undergoes a volume change in response to a specific
chemical stimulus;
a light diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged
particles polymerized in said hydrogel, said crystalline colloidal
array having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of
said hydrogel changes, thereby causing the diffracted wavelength of
the crystalline colloidal array to change; and
wherein said sensor device is placed on the eye.
74. The sensor device of claim 2, wherein said hydrogel is
hydrophobic.
75. The method of claim 23, including employing a medium that is
hydrophobic.
76. The sensor device of claim 50, wherein said hydrogel is
hydrophobic.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to optical, gel-based
devices that utilize the diffraction properties of crystalline
colloidal arrays. More specifically, the present invention relates
to polymerized crystalline colloidal array detectors whose
diffraction wavelengths change in response to a variety of specific
stimuli. These detectors have application in numerous chemical,
environmental and medical technologies.
2. Background Art
Charged colloidal particles, when suspended in water, form a
stable, crystalline dispersion due to interparticle coulomb
repulsion forces. The property of structural ordering in such
dispersions has been exploited in making devices such as narrow
band optical rejection filters. The ordering phenomena in such
colloidal suspensions have been useful in spectroscopy and Bragg
diffraction techniques. It has been found that mesoscopic,
crystalline structures can have many practical applications as
optical filters in military, space, medical and research uses. In
many such instances, it is necessary or desirable to filter narrow
bands of selected wavelengths from a broader spectrum of incident
radiation. Crystalline structures, or crystalline colloidal arrays
(CCA), and their use in optical filtering devices are disclosed,
for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,627,689 and 4,632,517.
Similar devices, in which a CCA is embedded in a polymer matrix,
have also been disclosed. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,368,781 and
5,266,238 disclose tunable, narrow band radiation filters
comprising a crystalline colloidal array of charged particles fixed
in a hydrogel film. Methods for filtering incident radiation using
these filters are also disclosed.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,330,685, 5,338,492 and 5,342,552 discuss narrow
band radiation filters comprising a CCA of charged particles in a
polymeric hydrogel. U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,370 also discloses a method
of making a solid radiation filter material including one
embodiment in which the particles in the array are fused together
by polymerization.
Various sensor devices are also reported in the art. Schalkhammer,
et al., disclose an optical sensor that utilizes the concept of
pH-dependent swelling of special polymers. See Schalkhammer, et
al., "The Use of Metal-island-coated pH Sensitive Swelling Polymers
for Biosensor Applications", Sensors and Actuators B, Vol. 24-25,
pp. 166-172 (1995). Conductimetric sensor devices have been
proposed based on the selective swelling of hydrogels in response
to pH by Sheppard, "Design of a Conductimetric Microsensor Based on
Reversibly Swelling Polymer Hydrogels", Transducers '91, 773-776
(1991) and Sheppard, et al., "Microfabricated Conductimetric pH
Sensor", Sensors and Actuators B, Vol. 28, pp. 95-102 (1995).
Finally, sensor devices based on the selective swelling of
hydrogels in response to glucose have been proposed by McCurley,
"An Optical Biosensor Using A Fluorescent, Swelling Sensing
Element", Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Vol. 9, pp. 527-533 (1994)
and Kikuchi, et al., "Glucose-Sensing Electrode Coated With Polymer
Complex Gel Containing Phenylboronic Acid", Anal. Chem., Vol. 68,
pp. 823-828 (1996).
None of the art, however, discloses a sensor device that utilizes
crystalline colloidal array diffraction as a detection means, as
disclosed herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally directed to devices comprising a
hydrogel that undergoes a volume change in response to a specific
chemical species, and a crystalline colloidal array (CCA)
polymerized within said hydrogel. Because the volume of the
hydrogel changes, the lattice spacing of the CCA embedded therein
changes as well. The light diffraction properties of the CCA change
as the lattice spacing is changed. Measuring the change in
diffraction, therefore, indicates the presence or absence of the
stimuli that causes the volume of the hydrogel to change. The
present invention is also directed to methods for making and using
these devices.
The devices of the present invention can be used to detect a number
of specific stimuli. For example, they can be used to detect the
presence of various chemicals, such as metal ions in solution and
organic molecules such as glucose, making the devices useful for
chemical analysis. The devices can also be used to detect the
presence of various gasses in solution. As a biomedical detection
device, these sensors can be used to detect the presence of
antigens from various sources, antibodies from various sources, and
viruses such as HIV. These devices can be further used as "sense
and dispense" mechanisms which detect the presence of a particular
stimulus and, in response to that stimulus, release a drug or other
therapeutic agent. Since none of these devices is incompatible with
living cells, their use both in vitro and in vivo is contemplated.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that the various embodiments
disclosed herein, as well as other embodiments within the scope of
the invention, will have numerous applications in the
environmental, medical, pharmaceutical, metallurgy and chemical
fields.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sensor device
comprising a CCA polymerized in a hydrogel that changes volume in
response to stimuli.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a sensor device
that utilizes the light diffraction properties of a CCA to detect
the presence of various stimuli.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sensor
device that swells in response to various stimuli, thereby changing
the diffraction properties of the sensor.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sensor device for
detecting the presence of chemicals.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sensor device for
detecting the presence of gasses in solution.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sensor device for
detecting the presence of various medical conditions.
Another object of the invention is to provide a sensor device for
detecting the presence of biological molecules.
It is another object of the present invention is to provide a
sensor device useful in environmental applications.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sensor
device having application in the field of medical diagnostics.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sensor
device useful for dispensing therapeutic agents in vivo in response
to the presence of stimuli.
These and other objects of the invention will be more fully
understood from the following description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an illustration of the monomers used in a hydrogel
according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 demonstrates the diffraction wavelength dependence of a
sensor device of the present invention on KCl concentration, as
determined by the methods of Example 2.
FIG. 3 illustrates the response of a PCCA in KCl concentrations
ranging between 0 and 100 mM as determined by the methods of
Example 2.
FIG. 4 shows diffraction wavelength shifts of one embodiment of the
present invention in response to various cations, as determined
according to the methods of Example 3.
FIG. 5 shows the diffraction of a PCCA in response to various lead
concentrations, as discussed in Example 4.
FIG. 6 shows the response of a PCCA to various concentrations of
o-nitrophenyl-.beta.-D-galactopyranoside, as determined according
to the methods of Example 6.
FIG. 7 illustrates the response of a PCCA in various glucose
concentrations, as determined by the methods of Example 7.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The sensor devices of the present invention generally comprise a
hydrogel characterized by the property of undergoing a volume
change in response to a specific chemical species; and a light
diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged particles
polymerized in said hydrogel, said crystalline colloidal array
having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of said
hydrogel changes thereby causing the light diffraction of said
crystalline colloidal array to change. Thus, these devices are
optical, gel based sensors that combine the light diffraction
properties of crystalline colloidal arrays (CCA) with the
conformational changes that various polymers undergo in response to
external stimuli.
Monodisperse, highly charged colloidal particles dispersed in very
low ionic strength liquid media self-assemble due to electrostatic
repulsion to form CCA. These ordered structures are either
body-centered cubic (BCC) or face-centered cubic (FCC) arrays with
lattice constants in the mesoscale range (50-500 nanometers (nm)).
Just as atomic crystals diffract x-rays meeting the Bragg
condition, CCA diffract ultraviolet (UV), visible and near infrared
(IR) light. CCA can be prepared as macroscopically ordered arrays
from non-close packed spheres. Such arrays exhibit highly efficient
Bragg diffraction; nearly all light meeting the Bragg condition is
diffracted, while adjacent spectral regions not meeting the Bragg
conditions will freely transmit. "Non-close packed spheres" refers
to an ordering wherein the spheres are spaced by some distance from
each other. The Bragg diffraction law is represented by the
following formula:
where m is the order of diffraction, .lambda. is the wavelength of
incident light, n is the suspension refractive index, d is the
interplanar spacing, and .theta. is the angle between the incident
light and the crystal planes.
Some polymers reversibly change conformation in response to a
specific external stimulus. For example, almost all polymers
undergo some reversible conformational change with changes in
solvents, and some, such as poly N-isopropylacrylamide, undergo
conformational changes in response to temperature changes. Solutes
that interact with the side groups on the polymer backbone may also
induce conformational changes; introduction of ionized groups onto
the backbone of the polymer thus sensitizes the polymer
conformation to changes in ionic strength. Polymers that change
conformation in response to the concentration of a single, specific
solute can therefore be prepared by adding to that polymer a
functional group that selectively interacts with that single
solute. Such polymers can be further mixed with crosslinking agents
to form gels that exhibit the same response to stimuli as the
polymer from which they are formed. For example, these gels will
undergo volume changes at conditions when the constituent polymer
chains change conformation. Volume changes between 0.1 and 50%, or
even greater, are contemplated by the present invention. The volume
response exhibited by these hydrogels allows for their broad
application in areas including but not limited to chemomechanical
systems, separation devices and sensor devices.
The present invention is directed to a sensor device comprising: a
hydrogel characterized by the property of undergoing a volume
change in response to a specific chemical species; and a light
diffracting crystalline colloidal array of charged particles
polymerized in said hydrogel; said crystalline colloidal array
having a lattice spacing that changes when said volume of said
hydrogel changes, thereby causing the light diffraction of the
crystalline colloidal array to change. The hydrogel in one
embodiment of the present invention generally comprises a
crosslinking agent, a gel component and a molecular recognition
component. The crosslinking agent can be any crosslinking agent
compatible with the other components of the hydrogel. Examples of
suitable crosslinkers include N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide,
methylenebismethacrylamide and ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate, with
N,N'methylenebisacrylamide being preferred. In addition to forming
the polymer network in the CCA, the cross-linking agent as used in
this step assists formation of the hydrogel and strengthens the
resulting hydrogel film so that a self-supporting film results.
Hydrogel films can be formed when as little as 1 part in 100 parts
by weight of the monomer mixture is the cross-linking agent.
Generally, increasing the amount of crosslinking agent lowers the
sensitivity of the gel to the analyte being detected. Preferably,
crosslinker is used in an amount between about 4 and 15% of monomer
weight, more preferably about 5% of monomer weight.
The gel monomer component of the hydrogels of the present invention
can be any compound that forms a hydrogel that undergoes a volume
change in response to a stimulus or stimuli. Examples of suitable
gels include, but are not limited to, acrylamide gels, purified
agarose gels, N-vinylpyrolidone gels and methacrylate gels.
Preferred gels for use in the present invention are
N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) and acrylamide.
The phase transition properties of the hydrogel are modified by
functionalizing the hydrogel with a reagent that specifically binds
an analyte of interest. Thus the gel is modified so as to detect
the presence of a stimulus by means of this molecular recognition
component. More specifically, a monomer capable of selectively
interacting with a specific solute is incorporated in the hydrogel.
Typically, the more of the molecular recognition component, the
more sensitive the device to the desired analyte. This
relationship, however, is only observed up to a certain
concentration of the molecular recognition component, after which
the sensitivity of the gel decreases. Any monomer having molecular
recognition capabilities for the desired solute can be used. For
example, 4-acrylamidobenzo 18-crown-6 ether, which selectively
binds Group I cations and preferably binds potassium ions, can be
used if potassium is the analyte of interest. Other crown ethers,
cyclodextrans, caloxarenes, and other chelating agents can also be
used.
When the analyte binds to the gel matrix, it causes a change in the
hydrophilicity of the matrix, and therefore changes the swelling
properties of the gel. As the hydrogel shrinks and swells, the CCA
embedded in the hydrogel follows. As the CCA changes dimension, the
resulting diffraction wavelength alteration reports on the array
volume change. The diffraction shifts to shorter wavelengths as the
gel shrinks, and to longer wavelengths as the gel swells. Measuring
this alteration, therefore, allows for detection of the stimulus
which caused the volume change.
In addition, a third monomer component can be added to change the
sensitivity of the device by making the hydrogel even more
hydrophobic or hydrophilic, as desired by the needs of the user.
The more hydrophobic the gel, the more it tends to stay in a
collapsed or shrunken state. For example, an acrylamide, which is
more hydrophilic than NIPA, can be added, or N-butylacrylamide,
which is more hydrophobic than NIPA, can be added to adjust the
properties of the hydrogel.
As stated above, the devices of the present invention combine CCA
technology with modified hydrogels to provide devices useful, for
example, as sensor devices. More specifically, a hydrogel having
the characteristics described Above is polymerized around a fluid
CCA. Changes in the volume of the hydrogel matrix change the
lattice spacing of the embedded CCA, thus changing the color of the
light diffracted. These devices are well suited for sensor
applications due to the unique ability to directly measure the
volume change of the hydrogel by monitoring the diffraction
wavelength from the CCA. In many applications, the change in color
can be detected by the unaided eye. For example, less than a 5%
expansion in volume can yield a color change detectable by the
unaided eye.
A method for making a device according to the present invention
generally comprises the steps of allowing charged particles to self
assemble into a crystalline colloidal array; adding a first
comonomer that is a gel monomer, a crosslinking agent, a second
comonomer that is a molecular recognition monomer to a medium
comprising said crystalline colloidal array and a polymerization
initiator; and polymerizing the mixture to form a crystalline
colloidal array embedded in a hydrogel.
An alternative method for making a device according to the present
invention generally comprises the steps of allowing charged
particles to self assemble into a crystalline colloidal array;
adding a crosslinking agent, a gel monomer, and a polymerization
initiator; polymerizing the mixture to form a crystalline colloidal
array embedded in a hydrogel; and adding a molecular recognition
component capable of binding with the hydrogel.
Any suitable particles can be used. For example, the particles used
to create the CCA can be colloidal polystyrene,
polymethylmethacrylate, silicon dioxide, aluminum oxide,
polytetrafluoroethylene or any other suitable materials which are
generally uniform in size and surface charge. Colloidal polystyrene
is preferred. The particles are chosen depending upon the optimum
degree of ordering and the resulting lattice spacing desired for
the particular application. The particles preferably have a
diameter between about 50 and 500 nanometers and may be either
synthesized as discussed below or obtained commercially.
Electrically charged particles that can be used in accordance with
this embodiment are commercially available from Dow Chemical or
Polysciences, Inc.
Monodisperse particle colloids can be prepared by emulsion
polymerization or any other means. For example, an emulsion polymer
colloid can be prepared by mixing the desired monomer with a
cross-linking agent, a surfactant to aid in the formation of the
emulsion, a buffer to keep the pH of the solution constant and to
prevent particle coagulation, and a free-radical initiator to
initiate polymerization. In a preferred embodiment, the monomer is
styrene, the cross-linking agent is divinylbenzene, the surfactant
is sodium-di(1,3-dimethylbutyl)sulfosuccinate, the initiator is
preferably potassium persulfate and an ionic comonomer is also
added, preferably 1-sodium, 1-allyloxy-2-hydroxypropane sulfonate.
Other suitable compounds can also be used to prepare the emulsion
polymer colloid, so long as compatibility problems do not arise.
The particles should then be purified by the use of centrifugation,
dialysis and/or an ion exchange resin. Purification of the
commercially available particles is also required.
Following polymerization, the particles may be stored in an ion
exchange resin, preferably in a bath of 10% by weight suspension of
ion exchange resin such as analytical grade AG51X8 mixed bed resin
commercially available from Bio-rad of Richmond, California. The
ion exchange resin should preferably be cleaned prior to use
through a suitable procedure such as that of Vanderhoff et al. in
the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Vol. 28, pp. 336-337
(1968).
The electrically charged particles are then allowed to self
assemble to form a crystalline colloidal array. This assembly takes
place in a suitable solvent, preferably water. To the CCA medium is
then added a gel monomer, a molecular recognition monomer, a
cross-linking agent and a polymerization initiator. Any suitable
initiator can be used, such as a thermal initiator or a
photoinitiator. Preferably, a UV photoinitiator is used. A
preferred UV photoinitiator for this use is
2,2'-diethoxyacetophenone. Any cross-linking agent, gel monomer and
molecular recognition monomer discussed above can be used.
After formation, the mixture is then polymerized. Any means known
in the art can be used to initiate polymerization, so long as the
method for polymerization does not destroy or otherwise disorder
the CCA. Preferably, the polymerization is accomplished by placing
the mixture between two plates, preferably quartz plates separated
by a parafilm spacer, at a temperature from between about 0.degree.
to 10.degree. C. The plates are then exposed to UV light. Exposure
to the UV light effects complete polymerization after about 5
minutes. Upon completion of the polymerization, the plates are
removed and a stable polymerized CCA (PCCA) results. This film can
be approximately about 150 microns thick and can be made thinner
based upon the needs of the user.
In a preferred embodiment, the hydrogel is composed of a copolymer
of NIPA and 4-acrylamidobenzo 18-crown-6 ether crosslinked with
N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide. This embodiment is depicted in FIG. 1.
The crown ether in the hydrogel complexes with metal cations, with
an affinity that depends both on the ability of the cation to fit
into the cavity of the crown ether, and the charge of the ion. The
NIPA gel is moderately hydrophilic. The copolymer is highly
sensitive to slight changes in its hydrophilicity due the
complexation of small amounts of cations. As the crown ether binds
with cations, the entire copolymer becomes more hydrophilic causing
the PCCA to swell and the diffraction wavelength to increase. The
linear NIPA/crown ether copolymer is only moderately hydrophilic
and precipitates out of solution above about 38.degree. C. At
23.degree. C., however, the polymer-solvent attraction is only
slightly greater than the polymer-polymer attraction in the
hydrogel.
The device of the preferred embodiment is particularly useful as a
sensor for lead. The detector swells in lead concentrations between
about 2 .mu.M and about 10 mM. This detector functions as an easy
to use, sensitive detector which is blue at lead concentrations of
about 2 .mu.M or less and green at concentrations of about 20
.mu.M. The color change of the device can be detected by the
unaided human eye at lead concentrations of approximately 15 .mu.M,
and can be detected by spectrophotometry at even lower
concentrations. At concentrations higher than about 20 mM, the
device shrinks and the wavelength diffracted gets smaller.
In addition, the device of the preferred embodiment also
selectively binds group I cations, preferably binding potassium
over sodium. The PCCA swells in potassium chloride (KCl) solutions
at concentrations ranging from 1 to 20 mM at 23.degree. C. and the
gel begins to contract at higher KCl concentrations. Sodium ions,
which have a lower affinity for the crown ether group, have little
effect on the diffraction below approximately 20 mM. The maximum
diffraction wavelength shift from pure water to 100 mM sodium ions
is only about 15 nm whereas the maximum diffraction wavelength
shift from pure water to 20 mM potassium ions is about 100 nm. The
device is sensitive to concentrations of potassium ions less than 1
mM; the diffraction wavelength of the PCCA shifts 25 nm between the
pure water and 1 mM KCl, which shift can be seen by the unaided
human eye. Thus, the device functions as a sensitive and easy to
use detector for potassium as well as lead, with a 500 fold greater
affinity for lead than potassium.
Alternatively, the incorporation of other crown ethers in the
hydrogel could produce a sensor that selects other cations. The
selectivity of the sensor is limited by non-selective binding of
the crown ether with other cations. Similarly, use of
functionalized compounds other than crown ethers, such as
cyclodextrans, caloxarenes or other chelating agents, can produce
devices that respond to still other stimuli.
The response rate of the PCCA described above as the preferred
embodiment, having a thickness of about 150 microns, is typically
less than about 5 minutes. Response rate can be improved by
decreasing the thickness of the PCCA. The response rate is
partially determined by the mass transport of cations into the gel,
and partially determined by the kinetics of complexation.
Decreasing the gel thickness and the monomer content of the gel
will markedly increase the rate of analyte mass transport to the
active sites on the gel, and therefore decrease response time.
Response rate will also be effected by the molecular recognition
component used, as some will be more selective than others.
Response rates of between about 1 and 5 minutes can be achieved
with a 150 micrometer thick gel and response rates on the order of
seconds can be achieved with thinner gels. The response rate is
inversely proportional to the thickness of the gel.
In addition, the present invention contemplates embodiments in
which the gel monomer will change volume in response to temperature
changes. For example, NIPA hydrogels change volume with changes in
temperature. Temperature has a large effect on the diffraction of
the sensor in a particular concentration of KCl. The diffraction
wavelength of the sensor in 5 mM KCl is 595 nm at 23.degree. C.,
but increases to 710 nm at 7.degree. C., and decreases to 495 nm at
32.degree. C. Thus, if using a hydrogel that is also responsive to
temperature, the sensor should be maintained at a constant
temperature during use.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the hydrogel in
which the CCA is polymerized comprises a crosslinking agent, a gel
monomer and a biomolecular recognition component. This biomolecular
recognition component is a biomolecular that selectively binds a
specific chemical specie as part of its biological function. This
component can be bound to the gel directly or by one or more
linking molecules. Examples of such biomolecular recognition
components include but are not limited to enzymes, antibodies,
antigens, porphyrins, ferritin, or pheromone receptors. These
natural recognition components can respond to simple chemical
species, or to the presence of particular proteins. These sensor
devices can therefore further comprise one or more linking
molecules that bind the biomolecular recognition component to the
gel monomer. In addition, the biomolecular recognition component
can be modified by being reacted with a molecule that can be bound
to the linking agent, or to the gel itself. A particularly
preferred linking molecule is 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine, and a
preferred molecule for reaction with the biomolecular recognition
component is avidin; avidin is a protein extracted from egg whites
and has four binding sites for biotin. The sensor devices of this
embodiment have particular application in the area of detection of
disease markers, for example in detecting the presence of HIV
antibodies. The gel can be sensitive to very low concentrations of
species, if the recognition element has a high binding constant.
This is attributable to the fact that the PCCA recognition element
concentrates the analyte within the PCCA.
For example, an antigen can be added to a gel monomer to form a
hydrogel that binds such things as antibodies to tuberculosis
cells, cancer cells, or HIV. The antigen is chosen based on what
medical condition is to be detected. Enzymes can also be attached
to the gel for medical diagnostics. For example, binding glucose
oxidase to the hydrogel will allow for the detection of glucose.
Thus this embodiment of the present invention has application as a
medical diagnostic tool. As above, the sensitivity of the sensor
can be adjusted to the desired concentration by modifying the ratio
of gel monomer to recognition component, the degree of crosslinking
and the hydrophobicity of the gel monomer. Hydrophobicity can be
adjusted as discussed above with the addition of another monomer
that is either more or less hydrophobic than the gel monomer,
depending on the needs of the user.
These biomedical sensors have potential applications both in vitro
and in vivo. When used in vivo, these devices can use a "sense and
dispense" mechanisms, first by sensing or detecting the presence of
a chemical, or other indicia of a medical condition, and then by
releasing a therapeutic agent in response to the chemical. More
specifically, the hydrogel would bind to a particular stimulus that
would cause the gel to swell. This swelling would allow for release
of a therapeutic agent trapped within the device when the gel is in
a shrunken state.
The antibody and antigen based sensors function much the same way
as the chemical sensors discussed above. That is, the gel volume
changes when the gel becomes bound to a chemical specie that
changes the hydrophobicity of the gel.
In the case of the enzyme based sensors, the enzyme changes the
chemical nature of the analyte by first binding to the analyte
substrate and then cleaving or otherwise reacting with the analyte
substrate. The gel of the enzyme based sensors swells because the
interior of the gel has a high concentration of reaction products
and a low concentration of analyte substrate, while the liquid
surrounding the gel has the opposite characteristics. This causes
an osmotic pressure imbalance between the inside and outside of the
gel. A solvent, preferably water, diffuses into the gel to relieve
that pressure imbalance; it is this excess solvent that causes the
gel to swell. If immersed in a fresh solution of the substrate, the
sensor will expand again. The response of the sensor, therefore, is
dependent upon the concentration and amount of substrate in its
immediate environment.
The biomedical devices are made by polymerizing a CCA in a hydrogel
comprising a crosslinking agent and a gel monomer such as those
described above. Following formation of the PCCA, a molecular
recognition component is added. In the preferred embodiment,
addition of the molecular recognition component is accomplished by
first hydrolyzing the PCCA. Any means known in the art can be used
to effect hydrolysis; a preferred method is to place the PCCA in a
0.1M solution of sodium hydroxide for about 10 minutes. Hydrolysis
of the PCCA serves to establish acidic, reactive sites on the PCCA
matrix. Preferably, the hydrolysis is a partial hydrolysis in which
10 to 30% of the reactive sites on the PCCA matrix have been
acidified. This is accomplished by hydrolyzing for about 10
minutes. The acidified PCCA is then reacted with a linking molecule
and a coupling agent that binds the compound in place of the acid
groups on the matrix. A preferred linking molecule is a
5-(biotinamido)pentylamine and a preferred coupling agent is
1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide. Other compounds and
water soluble coupling agents can also be used. As will be
appreciated by one skilled in the art, the reaction can be
performed without a coupling agent, but would proceed more slowly
if one is not used. The PCCA should be reacted with the linking
molecule for a period of time sufficient to effect reaction of all
of the acid; when using a coupling agent this is typically between
about 3 to 6 hours. A molecular recognition component, such as an
enzyme, antibody or antigen, is then added, and binds to the
compound. The molecular recognition component is first bound to a
compound having an affinity for the linking molecule. A preferred
compound for this use is avidin, which is preferred when using
biotin as the linking molecule. Thus the enzyme is bound to the
PCCA without destroying the CCA structure or the reactivity of the
enzyme. The enzymes then react with a specific compound. For
example, if glucose oxidase is used as the enzyme, the gel will
cleave glucose, and if .beta.-D-galactosidase is used as the enzyme
the gel will cleave .beta.-D-galactose.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the
biomolecular recognition component can be added in numerous ways.
In the preferred embodiment described above, this addition is
effected by reacting the biomolecular recognition component with
avidin, which binds to the 5-(biotinamido)pentylamino bound to the
gel matrix. This method, therefore, essentially uses two linking
molecules. Embodiments using only one linking molecule or more than
two linking molecule, or use of no linking molecule at all, are
also within the scope of the invention.
One application of the devices of the present invention is as an
implant that would be placed directly under the skin. The device
would detect a specific chemical stimulus in the body and undergo a
volume change in response thereto. As a result of the volume
change, the lattice structure of the CCA, and therefore the
diffracted wavelength of the CCA, would also change. This color
change could be detected through the skin. Alternatively, a device
diffracted in the infrared range could be placed more deeply under
the skin, such that the color change would not be visible unless an
IR light source and a spectrometer was used.
Another application for the devices of the present invention is to
determine the concentration of a particular analyte as present in
tear fluid. In this embodiment, the device would be similar to a
contact lens, but would contain a sensor for determining the
concentration of various analytes in the tear fluid, for example
the glucose level in the tear fluid. The device would change color
as the analyte concentration changed. Such devices are preferably
incorporated at or near the rim of the lens, so as not to interfere
with the vision of the user.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the PCCA gels as
discussed above are used to fabricate novel optrode sensors. In
this embodiment, the PCCA is attached to the end of a fiber optic;
light channelled down the fiber will be diffracted back into the
fiber to carry information on the PCCA volume, and thus the analyte
concentration. This embodiment is very sensitive, since a
spectrometer can be used to detect very small changes in diffracted
wavelength. In addition, a very fast response speed in observed.
Such an optrode can be easily miniaturized since only a small
piece, approximately 1 .mu.m.sup.3 or smaller, of the PCCA is
needed for the sensor.
For example, a small optrode, such as one that is as small as a few
microns in thickness, can be inserted into small analyte solution
volumes, into small pieces of tissue, or into a living person for
clinical chemical measurements. The sensor could be modified to
detect for various stimuli, such as salts, hormones, nucleic acids,
amino acids, proteins or other biological species in areas as small
as a single cell. In addition, by attaching a plurality of these
optrode fibers and sensor arrays for different species along the
slit of a spectrograph attached to a CCD camera, hundreds of
different analyte concentrations can be simultaneously determined
through the parallel detection of the diffracted wavelengths from
these plurality of optrodes. Each of the optrodes could be attached
to a different sensor with each sensor detecting a different
specie, or a different concentration range of a specific specie.
These optrode fibers could be designed to work by channelling light
down the fiber, which will be diffracted back to a spectrometer to
carry information on the PCCA volume.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention,
interpenetrating networks (IPNs) can be used to produce sensors
with recognition elements that are normally incompatible with the
required self assembly of the CCA prior to polymerization into a
PCCA. For example, some molecular recognition functionalized
comonomers may be ionic, and would screen the electrostatic
colloidal particle repulsive interactions required for CCA self
assembly. In this case, the sensor is made in two steps.
First, a loosely crosslinked PCCA is formed without the molecular
recognition element. Following formation of this PCCA, a second
monomer having the recognition element is diffused into the
existing PCCA network. A second polymerization is then effected,
wherein the polymer chains of the second network will form an
interpenetrating network within the voids of the first network. The
second network of the IPN will shrink or swell in response to the
presence of the analyte, and the PCCA will expand or contract along
with the second network due to the physical entanglement of the two
networks.
Methods of using the above devices for detecting the concentration
of a selected chemical specie are also provided. Following
polymerization of the CCA in the hydrogel, these methods of use
further include the steps of measuring the diffracted wavelength of
said crystalline colloidal array polymerized in said hydrogel;
contacting said polymerized crystalline colloidal array with said
solution; measuring the diffracted wavelength of said crystalline
colloidal array following exposure to said solution; and comparing
the change in diffracted wavelength to determine concentration of
said chemical specie. As discussed above, when a stimulus, such as
a chemical specie, becomes bound to said hydrogel thereby causing
the volume of the hydrogel to change, the lattice spacing of the
CCA also changes. Accordingly, the diffracted wavelength of the CCA
changes as the volume of the hydrogel changes. By determining the
change in diffracted wavelength, the volume change of the hydrogel,
and therefore the concentration of the chemical specie, can be
determined. The higher the concentration of the chemical specie,
the greater the swelling volume of the gel.
The change in diffracted wavelength can be determined by using
instrumentation, such as a spectrometer or a spectrophotometer. In
many cases, the diffracted wavelength change can also be seen by
the unassisted human eye because the device will change color.
EXAMPLES
The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention and
should not be construed as limiting the invention in any way.
Example 1
Charged polystyrene particles were formed by placing approximately
50 g of polystyrene and about 4 g of 1-sodium,
1-allyloxy-2-hydroxypropane sulfonate into about 100 g of water.
About 4 g of sodium-di(1,3-dimethylbutyl)sulfosuccinate, about 0.1
g of buffer and about 0.5 g of sodium persulfate dissolved in about
3 ml of water were also added. The mixture was reacted for about
3.5 hours in a flask equipped with a stirring mechanism set at
about 355 rpm. The particles were about 105 nm in diameter and were
purified by dialysis and ion exchange.
A portion of the colloid suspension was removed and further
dialysized for about one week in deionized water. The solution was
then diluted about three-fold, and further purified by shaking with
ion exchange resin until all of the impurity ions were removed and
the CCA self assembled.
A PCCA was then made by adding to 3 ml of the CCA medium to a
mixture comprised of about 0.15 g NIPA, about 0.07 g of
4-acrylamidobenzo 18-crown-6 ether, about 0.014 g of
N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide and about 0.01 g of
diethoxyacetophenone. The CCA was allowed to self assemble and the
CCA/gel mixture was placed between two quartz plates. The plates
were then exposed to UV light for about 5 minutes. The temperature
was maintained at about 5.degree. C. throughout.
Example 2
The PCCA sensor made according to Example 1 was tested in potassium
chloride (KCl) concentrations ranging from 1 mM to 20 mM at
23.degree. C. As the crown ether complexed potassium cations, the
gel volume increased. The response to KCl was non-linear as can be
seen from the extinction spectra of the PCCA sensor in KCl
solutions of varying concentration, as is illustrated in FIG. 2. At
KCl concentrations above 20 mM, the PCCA began to shrink, as is
shown in FIG. 3. The sensor returned to its original diffraction
color when removed from the KCl solution and immersed in a
deionized water bath for 30 minutes. The response was also found to
be reproducible; the diffraction peak centers of the PCCA in 5 mM
KCl differed by no more than 1 nm after successive washings and
re-immersion in 5 mM KCl at a constant temperature of 23.degree.
C.
Example 3
The affinity of the PCCA described in Example 1 for both potassium
and sodium was studied. Although the binding constants of
18-crown-6 type cyclic ethers are highest for potassium, these
crown ethers still complex other cations. The maximum diffraction
wavelength shift of the sensor in the presence of NaCl was 27 nm,
which occurred at 100 mM NaCl. The sensitivity to NaCl is
significantly lower than the response to KCl, which induced a 100
nm shift at 20 mM KCl. Calcium, although slightly smaller than
sodium, caused a diffraction wavelength red shift of only 25 nm at
200 mM. The maximum response of the sensor to NaCl and CaCl.sub.2
occurred at much higher concentrations than the maximum response to
KCl. The diffraction wavelength shift of the sensor in KCl, NaCl
and CaCl.sub.2 solutions is depicted in FIG. 4.
This example illustrated that sodium ions do compete with potassium
ions for crown ether binding sites. In 5 mM of KCl, the diffraction
wavelength shifted by 90 nm from the diffraction wavelength in pure
water. When immersed in a solution of 5 mM NaCl and 5 mM KCl (10 mM
total salt), the diffraction wavelength shifted from the value in
water by 75 nm. When the 5 mM KCl solution also contained 100 mM
NaCl, the diffraction shift was only 55 nm. The diffraction
wavelength in the 100 mM NaCl/5 mM KCl solution indicates a KCl
concentration of approximately 1.3 mM, based on the calibration
curve shown in FIG. 4.
Example 4
The response of the PCCA described in Example 1 to very low
concentrations of lead II acetate was determined. The sensor had a
response, detectable in the spectrometer, of a 10 nm shift in
response to a 2 .mu.M (approximately 410 ppb) concentration of lead
II acetate. The response of 28 nm to 20 .mu.M (about 4.1 ppm) lead
II acetate is easily detectable with the unaided human eye. The
device is blue at lead concentrations of 2 .mu.M and green at lead
concentrations of 20 .mu.M. The lead response reached a maximum
between 10 and 20 mM; the diffraction in 20 mM lead acetate is at a
lower wavelength than the diffraction in 10 mM of lead to acetate.
The shift in the PCCAs diffraction due the entire detectable
concentration range of lead is shown in FIG. 5. The sensor returned
to its original diffraction color when removed from the lead II
acetate solution and immersed in a deionized water bath for 30
minutes. Due to the electrostatic character of the crown ether and
cation interaction, this PCCA was found to be about 500 times more
effective as a sensor for lead ions than for potassium ions. This
device, therefore, functions as a lead detector.
Example 5
A sensing device was made by taking a blue diffracting suspension
of polystyrene colloids prepared as described above in Example 1
and polymerizing a CCA of these colloids in an acrylamide gel. The
PCCA was then immersed in a 0.1M sodium hydroxide bath for about 10
minutes, which hydrolyzed some, but not all, of the CONH.sub.2
groups to COOH. The hydrolyzed gel was washed in pure water to
remove the sodium hydroxide. At this point, the hydrolyzed gel was
swollen and diffracted in the red or infrared region. About 50 mg
of 5-(biotinamido)pentylamine and about 100 mg of
1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethyl carbodiimide were dissolved in
about 1.5 ml of water. The PCCA was immersed in this solution for
about 8 hours. Following this period, the reaction products were
washed out of the biotinylated gel with distilled water. The
spectrum of the PCCA was measured to ensure that the diffraction
wavelength was at or near the original blue. About 1 mg of an
avidin labelled enzyme was then dissolved in about 1 ml of water;
the biotinylated gel was immersed in this solution for between
about 3 and 6 hours.
Example 6
The sensor device made according to Example 5, using
.beta.-D-galactosidase as the enzyme, was tested in various
solutions of o-nitrophenyl-.beta.-D-galactopyranoside ranging from
0.10 mM to 0.33 mM; water and sucrose were used as controls. As can
be seen in FIG. 6, the wavelength diffracted in the water control
was about 505 nm, in a 0.1 mM
o-nitrophenyl-.beta.-D-galactopyranoside solution was about 515 nm,
in a 0.25 mM solution was about 525 and in a 0.33 mM solution was
about 550; the change from 505 nm to 550 nm corresponds with a
color shift from green to yellowish green at normal incidence.
Diffracted wavelength was determined using a Perkin Elmer Lambda-9
spectrometer. These wavelength shifts demonstrate that the sensor
devices of the present invention can be used to detect even small
increases in sugar concentration. The sensor gave no response in
either 0.1 or 0.2 mM of sucrose, thereby confirming that the enzyme
specific reaction between o-nitrophenyl-.beta.-D-galactopyranoside
and .beta.-D-galactosidase was causing the sensor response.
Example 7
The sensor device made according to Example 5, using glucose
oxidase as the enzyme, was tested for reaction with various
glucose-containing solutions. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the
diffraction wavelength when the device was in water was
approximately 550 nm. The diffracted wavelength, as measured by a
Perkin Elmer Lambda-9 spectrometer, shifted to about 600 nm in a
solution of 0.1 mM glucose, and to about 650 in the 0.2 mM through
0.5 mM solutions of glucose. Cleavage of the glucose by the glucose
oxidase, when concentrations were at least 0.2 mM glucose, caused a
wavelength shift of almost 100 nm, which corresponds to a color
shift from yellowish green to deep red at normal incidence and was
easily seen with the unaided human eye.
Whereas particular embodiments of this invention have been
described above for purposes of illustration, it will be evident to
those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details of
the present invention may be made without departing from the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *